Super Bowl-winning quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Week 1? He goes against the New York Jets, who employed him for the last two inglorious years.
But as he now joined his third team in his over two decades of football greatness, there is an even more anticipated game on the Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 NFL schedule.
Rodgers will forever be remembered as one of the greatest talents and most accomplished players of his generation due to his four MVP trophies won while he was with the Green Bay Packers, having been the team for his first 18 seasons.
Now that Rodgers officially joined the Pittsburgh Steelers, there is one game on the upcoming calendar that the star QB likely has circled in red: Week 8, when the Packers come to town.
"A-Rod" beat all 31 other teams at least once as an opposition – Green Bay being the only exception.
Only four players have ever beaten all 32 NFL teams at least once throughout their career: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Drew Brees.
So the numbers are waiting and so are the Packers.
“It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be awesome. I’m excited for it,” said Packers QB Jordan Love, once Rodgers' understudy. “I can’t wait to be on different sides, meeting up and I know we’ll talk pre-game, things like that. And hopefully we can exchange jerseys after.”
Green Bay drafted Love in the first round in 2020, and Love stood on the sideline and watched as Rodgers had MVP seasons in both 2020 and 2021.
There is past. And there is present. And what about future?
"There's a lot of love for me and how I feel about the team," Rodgers said about the Packers in a podcast appearance.
He was asked about the possibility, whenever the 41-year-old decides to call it a career, if he would ever sign a one-day contract to officially retire as a Packer. While his response was very Rodgers-esque in its dry nature, it appears the future Hall of Famer still has some appreciation for the organization.
“If I do or don’t retire as a Packer, I don’t think it should make a difference. I’m not sure yet. If they approached me about it, I probably would."
During his 15 years as the Packers’ starting quarterback after taking over for Favre in 2008, Rodgers won four regular season MVPs, Super Bowl XLV MVP, earned four First-Team All-Pro honors and was selected to ten Pro Bowls.
The Steelers' Week 8 matchup with the Packers will take place in Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Oct. 26 and be broadcasted live on Sunday Night Football.